Dad
by Tyra
Summary: Tidus is standing on a cliff when Auron suddenly returns something to him. Something that makes him remember something from when he was five.


Disclaimer: I don't own FFX, Squaresoft are the lucky ones when it comes to that.

Tidus stood on the cliff, glaring at the sea. He was so focused that he didn't hear the other man that was walking towards him. Both men stood silently, Tidus still wasn't aware of the other's presence. The blonde boy clenched his fists, silently swearing his dad under his breath. Sin had shown himself again and with that he had taken a lot of innocent lives.

"Why do you do this? I hate you old man." The blonde one softly hissed.

"He'll never hear you if you talk that silently."

Tidus looked up, startled. 

"A-auron, what are you doing here?" 

The older guardian just shrugged, meaning 'nothing special'. He looked at the young boy next to him. No matter how much Tidus denied it, he looked like Jecht in a lot of ways. Auron was debating in his mind if this was the right time to tell the boy. He felt his pocket, it was still there after all those years and battles. Tidus looked at Auron, seeing that he was thinking about something.

"Something you want to tell me? Or are you gazing at the ocean for fun?" Asked the blonde sarcastically.

"At least I don't glare at the water." Was the only reply he got. 

Auron didn't make remarks like that often but when he did there was no way to counter them. The red-clad guardian dug into his pocket again. He took a medallion out of it. The medallion was gold and had the sign of the Zanarkand Abes on it in silver. On the back there was a text: 'For my son, Tidus.' Once again Auron was silent as he was staring at the piece of jewelery.

"What are you staring at?" asked Tidus, not even trying to hide his curiosity.

"Something a ten year old boy threw in the ocean in the Zanarkand of 1000 years ago. It washed back ashore, I searched it, and found it back."

"Nice for you." Tidus tried to appear as if he didn't care, and failed miserably. "Can I see it?" 

Auron chuckled, Tidus sounded like a little kid. He handed the medallion to Tidus, who stared at it in shock before turning to Auron.

"How did you get this? My old man gave me this, I threw it away."

"I know. Why throw something that means a lot to you away?"

"It doesn't mean a lot to me, it reminds me of my old man. That's why I got rid of it in the first place." 

Tidus didn't know how to feel. He acted angry towards Auron but he didn't know if he really was angry or not. The real reason why he was angry was because Auron had kept it eventhough he knew it was Tidus'.

"If it doesn't mean anything to you, then why were you crying after you got rid of it? If I remember correctly you were saying something along the line of: 'Why did I throw it away? Now I've lost it forgood.' Something like that."

"I didn't cry!" Yelled Tidus.

Auron shrugged. The blonde would never admit that his father succeeded in making him cry, even if Jecht was far away. The young boy clicked open the medallion and got out a neatly folded piece of paper. He sighed and unfolded it. While he was looking at it the boy began to talk. He didn't even know why he told all that to Auron, he just did.

"I was going to give this to dad-" 

Auron raised his eyebrow, it didn't happen often that Tidus refered to Jecht as 'dad'.

"On father's day. I never did so. I don't know why, I just didn't." 

The silent guardian took the piece of paper from the boy and read it. It was a poem, or a song. He was sure of one thing: it wasn't written by Tidus.

**I was a kid, you were my dad.  
I didn't always understand.  
I wanted freedom, you got mad,  
You were concerned, I got upset.   
I didn't recognize you yet.  
  
And did you cry? I know I did.   
When I lied to you,  
I didn't want to hurt you.   
I just never knew I did.   
  
You never told me that you loved me,   
I know you didn't know how.   
I guess that shows we're much the same.   
'Cause I love you too and until now,   
I've never said those words out loud.   
I hope you're proud,   
To be my dad...   
  
What are your secrets, do you pray?   
Is there a god that shows your way?   
I wish I knew...   
Do you have crazy fantasies?   
What happens in your dreams?   
I want to know...   
  
I guess you'll always be a mystery to me.   
But you taught me how to value life,   
And what else do I need?   
I have a dad who watches over me.**

There was something written under it in Tidus' handwriting: 'I don't hate you dad and I do remember' It was crossed out, he had probably done that when he threw the jewel away.

"He would have liked it if you did give it to him."

This time it was Tidus who shrugged. He still didn't know how to feel, the anger was flooding away and was being replaced by another feeling he didn't recognize as a memory invaded his mind.

~Memory~

He was at a fair with his dad, his mom was sick so she stayed at home. He was only five or so but he still remembered everything clearly. His dad had just bought him a balloon and had tied it to his wrist. Tidus never had so much fun in his life as that day. Jecht had taken him everywhere the boy wanted to go. 

They had just come out of a little tearoom where they had an ice cream. About half of it had been smudged on Tidus'  face. Jecht had been chuckling while he wiped it off the face of his son, remembering that his mother told him that he always got his face smudged while eating ice when he was young aswell. 

With shooting his dad had won him a bear that was bigger than Tidus was. It was a bear that was wearing the blitzball outfit of the Zanarkand Abes, he also held a blitzball between his paws. Jecht had told him that if he wanted a bear, it HAD to wear the outfit of the team he was in. 

There was a big parade going on, Tidus couldn't see a thing because he was too  small. He pouted. He wanted to see the parade. Jecht looked down at his son, lifted him up and put him  onto his neck. His dad was tall enough to see, so Tidus could see everything very well. 

The day ended way to soon and father and child headed back home. Tidus was still holding the balloon while his dad carried the bear. When they reached their house his dad even tucked him in. The boy silently mumbled: 

"I'll never forget today, daddy, never."

-------------------

Two years later.

------------------

It was a couple months before Jecht disappeared. Tidus was grumpy because he wanted to go to a birthday party but wasn't allowed to go. He had said that his parents should keep him on a leash if they wanted to act like that. Then his chances of going were rendered to BELOW zero. His mom and dad were looking at some pictures. He was walking  to the kitchen to get something to drink when they asked if he remembered the time his dad had taken him to the fair. Tidus was angry because he had to stay at home. Also his dad had started acting like Tidus couldn't do anything right, whatever the boy did, it wasn't good enough for his father. So Tidus answered in a cold tone: 

"Nope, don't rememeber that."

Later on he was sad for lying to his dad like that. He thought back at the look his father had, it was just a little while there before it was gone again, but it reflected the hurt feelings of his father. While thinking back at it, tears started welling up inside. He didn't even try to stop them from flowing. 

The next week Tidus heard a song while he was heading towards school. It came from a music shop. After school he quickly stopped at the shop and walked up to the shop-assistant. He asked how the song was called that he had heard that morning. When he came home he immediatly went on internet to search for the song. It was called 'Dad'. After he found it, he printed it. He was planning on giving it to Jecht on father's day...

But on father's day he didn't have the courage to do so.

~End memory~

After remembering that, Tidus felt sad and guilty. He felt something strange on his cheeks. When he reached up to touch them he felt they were wet, wet from tears. Auron was looking at Tidus while the boy's sobs died down.

"Why is it that he can still make me cry?" It was whispered, hard to hear, but the older man understood it anyway.

"Because you love him."

With that Auron returned the paper to Tidus and left him standing on the cliff, alone with his thoughts. After a while he put the medallion around his neck. Before he headed back to the others he opened the medallion again and smiled slightly at the pictures that were inside. One was of him and his dad at the fair, both were smiling from ear to ear. The other was of his mother. She had a warm smile on her features. He put the song back into the medallion, closed it again and walked towards the others.

Author's note: The song Tidus wanted to give Jecht isn't mine either (what a suprise) it's Dad by K's choice.


End file.
